Arch support



March 26, 1957 M. FALK ARCH SUPPORT Filed oct. 14. 1954 INV NTOR ORNEY ARCH SUPPORT Melvin Falk, Bronx, N. Y.

Application October 14, 1954, Serial No. 462,164

Claims. (Cl. 36-71) This invention relates to arch supports for shoes and, more particularly, to an arch support insertable into a shoe and having novel anchoring means inhibitingboth lateral movement of the foot relative to the arch support and lateral movement of the arch support relative to the shoe.

Arch supports may be built into shoes or may be separate elements inserted in the shoes. In the latter case, they are generally formed to provide the support required by the user, and are frequently transferable from one shoe to another. They are used to correct such conditions as calcaneal rotation, astragular collapse, metatarsal abductions, scaphoid weakness, cuboidal weakness, and so forth.

lnsertable arch supports used hitherto have been subject to the defect that the foot can slip laterally of the support or the support shift laterally of the shoe. Thus, the effectiveness of the support is effectively reduced, particularly if the support has been designed for individual fit of the foot.

To avoid these difficulties, the invention arch support is molded to the form of the plantar aspect of the foot, extending from the back of the calcaneus to the base of the metatarsus. Protruding from the body of the arch support are four flanges, two along the medial border and two along the lateral border. One of the medial flanges runs forward, approximately three-quarters of the length from the edge subjacent to the anterior portion of the tendo calcaneus. On the postero-superior aspect of the flange is an accessory flange which serves'to augment the action of the first flange and perform new functions. Along the lateral border of the arch support are two flanges. Each arises from the body of the arch support coincident with the calcaneus and the body of the fifth metatarsal bone. These flanges arise almost perpendicularly and their height is determined by the height and shape of the bones. The fourth flange arises at the antero-medial border of the support and reaches forward under the first cuneo-metatarsal joint. The anterior border of the arch support is skived to razor thinness so as to prevent any discomfort from a sudden drop at this border. Cushioning inserts may be provided to elevate portion of the support, particularly the broad medial flange.

The arch support consists of a cover of high-grade leather which is underlaid by foam rubber at the points of elevations. The leather is so that it has a very smooth surface and is of a highly resilient character. Foam rubber forms are employed beneath the cover to support the elevations in the cover. Foam rubber is the preferred material because of its natural durability, flexibility, and resiliency. The leather cover reaches its thickest proportions on the lateral flanges and gradually tapers throughout towards the medial border. The leather is thinnest under those portions where foam rubber is to be added.

The invention arch support gains its multipurposefulness from its flexibility and proper employment of its 2,786,282 Patented Mar. 26, '1957' fice follow the addition of a medial support and also prevent the foot from sliding off the medial support. In this con.- nection, the additional flange also is of value in balancing the foot on the arch support and preventing the lateralv flange from throwing the foot too far medialward.

For an understanding of the invention principles, ref-v erence is made to thev following description of a typical'j embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying-j In the drawing: ;v Fig. 1 is'a'horizontal'sectional view of 'a shoe showing drawing.

the invention arch support inserted therein; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken on they line 2-2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the' arch support.

Referring to the drawing, the invention arch support 20 is illustrated as inserted in a shoe 10 having an outer. sole 11, an inner sole 12, medial counter 13, and lateral counter 14.

Support 20 is cut to the desired shape from a piece of leather, and includes a main body portion 21 having flanges as described hereinafter. The border of the arch support is skived, as at 22., to provide a periphery of tapering thickness to avoid abrupt drops between thev support and the portions of shoe 10 engaged thereby.

On the medial side of body 21 is an elongated flange' 22 extending substantially three-quarters of the distance from that portion of the support subjacent the anterior portion of the tendo calcaneus to the forward edge 23 of support 20. Immediately to the rear of flange 22 is a llange 24. Flanges 22 and 24 extend somewhat upwardly from body 21 and serve both to give support to' the arch and to anchor the latter against movement rela' tive to the medial counter 13.

A foam rubber pad 25 is placed beneath flange 22 andv the adjacent part of body 21 to give support to the arch by elevating these portions of support 2li. The leather of support 2li is thinned at its area of engagement with pad 25, and the pad edges are thinned, to provide smooth junctures ortransition Zones. Pad 25 may be cemented to the undersurface of arch support 20. y

On the lateral edge of support 20 are two longitudinally spaced tabs or flanges 26, 27 having a recess 28 therebetween. These flanges extend substantially perpendicu-` larly to body 2l and lie against lateral counter 14. Flanges 26, 27, in cooperation with recess 28, have the important function of anchoring support 20 both laterally and longitudinally relative to counter 14. The se flanges 26, 27 lie on either side of the lateral protuberance at the junction of the cuboi'd bone and thefifth metatarsus, or little toe, with this protuberance extending into recess 53 and thus anchoring the support against longitudinal movement. They further serve to prevent movement of the foot toward counter 14 thus preventing displacement of the arch from the elevation provided by pad 2S.

Arch support 20 may be cemented into shoe 10 or may be merely inserted therein. In either case, the flanges 22, 24, 26, 27 anchor the support against longitudinal and lateral movement relative to counters 13, 14, and also hold the foot with the arch in contact with the elevation provided by pad 25. The support is primarily intended for use in `childrens shoes but is not limited to such use.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. An arch support removably insertable in a shoe and comprising a single piece of pliable material arranged to generally underlie the arch of a foot shaped to form a generally at body lying against the insole of the shoe and extending between the medial and lateral counters thereof, and a pair of longitudinally spaced flanges, separated by a recess therebetween, extending upwardly from the lateral edge of the body to engage the lateral counter of the shoe to, in cooperation with said recess, inhibit longitudinal and lateral displacement of the support relative to the lateral counter and displacement of the foot laterally of the support; said spaced ilanges lying on either side of the protuberance at the junction of the cuboid bone and the iifth metatarsus with such protuberance extending into the recess to lock such support against longitudinal displacement relative to the foot.

2. An arch support removably insertable in a shoe and comprising a single piece of pliable material arranged to generally underlie the arch of a foot shaped to form a generally liat body lying against the insole of the shoe and extending between the medial and lateral counters thereof, and a pair of longitudinally spaced flanges, separated by a recess therebetween, extending upwardly from the lateral edge of the body to engage the lateral counter of the shoe to, in cooperation with said recess, inhibit longitudinal and lateral displacement of the support relative to the lateral counter; and a pad of resilient material underlying the medial edge of the body; said spaced flanges lying on either side of the protuberance at the junction of the cuboid bone and the fifth metatarsus with such protuberance extending into the recess to lock such support against longitudinal displacement relative to the foot.

3. An arch support removably insertable in a shoe and comprising a single piece of pliable material arranged to generally underlie the arch of a foot shaped to form a generally at body lying against the insole of the shoe and extending between the medial and lateral counters thereof, a flange on the medial edge of the body extending from a point spaced from the rear end of .such a major portion of the distance toward the forward end thereof to engage the medial counter of the shoe to inhibit displacement of the support relative to the medial counter, and a pair of longitudinally spaced flanges, separated by a recess therebetween, extending from the lateral edge of the body to engage the lateral counter of the shoe to, in cooperation with said recess, inhibit longitudinal and lateral displacement of the support relative to the lateral counter; said spaced flanges lying on either side of the protuberance at the junction of the cuboid bone and the fifth metatarsus with such protuberance extending into the recess to lock such support against longitudinal displacement relative to the foot.

4. An arch support removably insertable in a shoe and comprising a single piece of pliable material arranged to generally underlie the arch of a foot shaped to form a generally flat body lying against the insole of the shoe and extending between the medial and lateral counters thereof, a liange on the medial edge of the body extending from a point spaced from the rear end of such edge a portion of the distance toward the forward end thereof to engage the medial counter of the shoe to inhibit displacement of the support relative to the medial counter, and a pair or" longitudinally spaced anges, separated by a recess therebetween, extending upwardly from the lateral edge of the body to engage the lateral counter of the shoe to, in cooperation with said recess, inhibit longitudinal and lateral displacement of the support relative to the lateral counter and displacement of the foot laterally of the support; and a pad of resilient material underlying the medial edge of the body and tr e flange thereon; said spaced flanges lying on either side of the protuberance at the junction of the cuboid bone and the fifth metatarsus with such protuberance extending into the recess to lock such support against longitudinal displacement relative to the foot.

5. An arch support removably insertable in a shoe and comprising a single piece of pliable material arranged to generally underlie the arch of a foot shaped to form a generally at body lying against the insole of the shoe and extending between the medial and lateral counters thereof, a tiret iiange on the medial edge of the body extending from a point spaced from the rear end of such edge a major portion of the distance toward the forward end thereof to engage the medial counter of the shoe to inhibit displacement of the ,support relative to the medial counter, a second ange extending from the medial edge of the body rearwardly of the first tiange to engage the medial counter of the shoe to inhibit displacement of the support relative to the lateral counter, and a pair of 1ongitudinally spaced iianges, separated by a recess therebetween, extending from the lateral edge of the body to engage the lateral counter of the shoe to, in cooperation with said recess, inhibit longitudinal and lateral displacement of the support relative to the medial counter; and a pad of resilient material underlying the medial edge of the body and the tiret ilange thereon; said spaced flanges lying on either side of the protuherance at the junction or the cuboid bone and the fifth metatarsus with such protuberance extending into the recess to lock such support against longitudinal displacement relative to the foot.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,284,191 Hamilton Nov. 5, 1918 1,480,079 Kennedy Ian. 8, 1924 1,694,315 Dunlop Dec. 4, 1928 1,818,730 Mattison Aug. 11, 1931 1,828,686 Tweedie Oct. 20, 1931 1,852,660 Laisure Apr. 5, 1932 `1,864,999 Gluckman June 28, 1932 1,938,127 Whitman Dec. 5, 1933 1,957,695 Chiappetta May 8, 1934 1,973,402 Bohmbach Sept. l1, 1934 2,027,055 Mirenta Jan. 7, 1936 

